Large militia convoy in S. Darfur town ‘panicking’ residents

A 25-vehicle pro-government militia convoy stationed near a South Darfur town has been inciting panic among citizens across the area since last weekend, multiple sources in Bielel locality say. The convoy is stationed near water sources in the outskirts of the Kashalingo mountain area, about 20 meters from the displaced camp El Salam, the representative of the local Youth Union Ahmed Hassan Mohamed Bakhit told Radio Dabanga on Tuesday. He added the militias are inciting “fear and terror” among local residents and urged the UN and UNAMID to remove them from the area. Sources said the same faction entered the El Salam camp on Sunday at 11:00am and after shopping at the local market, they began firing random shots in the air. This led to the closure of many shops, and frightened residents ran to their homes. Two days before, upon returning from Nyala, the militias carried out assaults on the surrounding villages of Kashalango, a source asserted. The communities of Bulbula, Abu Garaji, Tebeldiya and Kashalingo were targeted, “prompting its residents to flee the terrorism and indiscriminate gunfire” by the militants.Radio Dabanga file photo